Gas turbine engines sometimes have a compressor section having variable guide vanes (VGVs) disposed in an inlet section of an airflow duct of the compressor section. The guide vanes are adjustable in an angular orientation in order to control the airflow being directed through the airflow duct. A rotary actuator ring positioned outside the airflow duct is conventionally used to actuate adjustment of the angular orientation of the VGVs. Various actuating apparatus have been created for connection between the rotary actuator ring and the VGVs, which however are generally for connection to an axial VGV system with guide vanes positioned substantially perpendicular to the center line of the engine, to be disposed in an axial inlet section of the airflow duct in the compressor section.
There is a need to develop VGV connection arrangements for a radial VGV system in which guide vanes are positioned parallel to the center line of the engine and the guide vanes are disposed in a radial inlet section of the airflow duct in the compressor section, for example, in a turboshaft engine with a radial inlet.